Tow cable termination

ABSTRACT

This invention is concerned with a termination to be applied to a double stranded counterwound electromechanical tow cable. By the insertion of a wedgelike member between the strands a hump is built into the cable which may be gripped at the point of the hump by a split tow ball without chance of slipping of the strands, while still permitting even winding of the cable on a winch.

United States Patent Raymond C. Fischer Severna Park;

Norton J. Levenson, Baltimore, Md. 810,268

Mar. 25, 1969 May 4, 1971 The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Inventors Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee TOW CABLE TERMINATION 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 24/ 114.5 Int. Cl Fl6g 11/00 Field of Search 24/1 14.5,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1890 Bahlsen 1,059,124 4/1913 Doxford 24/114.5X

1,197,674 9/1916 Shaw 24/114.5

1,499,477 7/1924 Reilly 24/114.5

2,177,567 10/1939 lmbault 24/1 14.5X FOREIGN PATENTS 525,323 4/1931 Germany 24/123 Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath Assistant ExaminerWerner H. Schroeder Attorneys-Edgar J. Brower, Arthur L. Branning and T. 0.

Watson, Jr.

ABSTRACT: This invention is concerned with a termination to be applied to a double stranded counterwound electromechanical tow cable. By the insertion of a wedgelike member between the strands a hump is built into the cable which may be gripped at the point of the hump by a split tow ball without chance of slipping of the strands, while still permitting even winding of the cable on a winch.

PATENTEDHAY 4mm 3577.605

INVENTORS RAYMOND CF/SCHER NORTON J. LEI/E/VS'ON BY 423M ATTORNIz'Y row CABLE TERMINATION BACKGROUND or THEINVENTION 1; Field of the Invention This invention relates to tow cables of the type used to tow underwater equipment from either ships or airplanes, particularly helicopters and particularly that type of cable known as a double stranded counterwound electromechanical tow cable, where there are two strands of protective cable, one movable over the other and where the inner strand houses central electrical conductors. These cables are generally carried on winches and are payed out to a desired length and 'then secured to a towing hook which may be fastened to a tow boom, as the winch is not sufficiently strong to withstand the forces of towing. Some means of securing the cable-to the hook is required.

2. Description of the Prior Art l-Ieretofore, any stop applied to the outer strand of the cable allowed .movement between the outer and inner strands of cable which was highly undesirable. Bulky attachments which secured both the outer and inner strands would not permit the cable to be evenly wound on the winch and presented a storage problem for the cable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention particularly relates to a frustoconical section together with an epoxy filler which placed between the outer and inner strands of a double stranded counterwound electromechanical tow cable will provide a termination bulge which may be easily gripped and held by a split tow ball without movement between the cable strands and without in any way weakening the cable, while permitting the cable to be evenly wound on a winch.

The object of the present invention is to provide a means which when applied to a double stranded counterwound electromechanical cable will provide a termination bulge which I may be secured to a towing hook and towing forces applied BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS .FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross section of the double strand counterwound electromechanical cable with the termination bulge shown locked in the split tow ball;

FIG. 2 shows the mechanical load distributor forming part of the termination;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the load distributor; and

FIG. 4 shows the cable as wound on a winch.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings wherein like parts are referred to by the same numbers throughout the views a tow cable 11 having an outer strand 12 and an inner strand 13 is' shown in FIG. 1. The inner cable strand houses any number of electrical conduits 14 by means of which electrical control of the towed instrument is maintained. Between the outer and inner strands at a suitable distance from the end of the cable a wire 15 is inserted by separating the windings of the outer strand and feeding the wire until it is completely around the inner strand. With this wire separating the inner strand from the outer strand it is possible to insert a load distributor 16 on the forward end of the cable with respect to the circular wire. With the winding of the outer strand separated, an epoxy filler 17 is LII inserted in the space between the inner and outer strands of the cable. This epoxy entirely fills the space between the outer and inner strands completely embedding the wire and the load distributor.

The load distributor 16, shown in FIG. 2, is formed in two halves of a frustoconical section 19 and 21 which are fitted into the space towards the forward end of the cable with relation to the wire and serve, together with the epoxy filling, to prevent relative movement between the outer and inner strands. Each distributor half is formed with cutout portions 22, 23 and 24 and with radial holes 25 all of which serve to retain the epoxy.

The entire termination bulge structure presents but a slight increase in diameter in the length of the cable and in no way interferes with the even winding of the cable on the winch as shown in FIG. 4.

A tow ball, formed in semispherical sections 31 is formed with a central groove 32 having a central enlarged recess 33 shaped to fit the bulge formed in the cable by the termination structure. A copper liner 28 fits the central enlarged recess and by reason of its softness permits the outer strand to be somewhat indented into its surface forming an additional deterrent to slippage. The two halves of the tow ball are formed with holes 34 for bolts, not shown, to securely hold the halves in a squeezing relationship with the termination bulge section.

In operation the windings of the outer strand are spread by the insertion of a tool such as a screwdriver and the wire is forced in between the outer strand and the inner strand to form a ring completely around the inner strand. This separates the two strands and the two halves of the load distributor are forced between the strands, forwardly of the wire. An epoxy filler is then injected to completely fill the space opened between the strands and the grooves and holes in the load distributor, forming a single unit. This produces a slight bulge in the cable which does not interfere with the even winding of the cable on a winch. When the length of cable calculated for the tow is measured, leaving at least fifty feet still on the winch, the termination structure is applied to the cable at a point where the cable would be attached to a tow hook and after the epoxy has set, the termination bulge is nested between two halves of a tow ball. The tow ball engages a tow hook and securely holds the cable without slippage either along the cable or relatively between the outer and inner strands, against a towing force. The forming of the bulge does not weaken the cable nor does it distort it so that it will not wind evenly on the winch.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings.

Iclaim:

1. In a tow cable of the double stranded counterwound electromechanical type having inner and outer strands, a termination bulge, comprising a frustoconical member and epoxy filler inserted between the inner and outer strands, preventing movement of the strands relative to each other and forming a bulge in the cablewherein said frustoconical member is formed with cut out portions and radial bores to receive and retain a portion of said epoxy filler.

2. In a tow cable of the double stranded counterwound electromechanical type having inner and outer strands, the combination of:

a termination bulge comprising means inserted between the inner and outer strands to prevent relative movement of the strands and forming a bulge in the cable, and

a split tow ball adapted to receive and securely clamp the cable at the point of the termination bulge wherein said tow ball is formed centrally and interiorly with a recess confonning to the dimensions of the termination bulge and a soft metallic liner for said recess, said liner being indented by the outer strand of the cable at the point of the termination bulge during the clamping of the split tow ball. 

1. In a tow cable of the double stranded counterwound electromechanical type having inner and outer strands, a termination bulge, comprising a frustoconical member and epoxy filler inserted between the inner and outer strands, preventing movement of the strands relative to each other and forming a bulge in the cable wherein said frustoconical member is formed with cut out portions and radial bores to receive and retain a portion of said epoxy filler.
 2. In a tow cable of the double stranded counterwound electromechanical type having inner and outer strands, the combination of: a termination bulge comprising mEans inserted between the inner and outer strands to prevent relative movement of the strands and forming a bulge in the cable, and a split tow ball adapted to receive and securely clamp the cable at the point of the termination bulge wherein said tow ball is formed centrally and interiorly with a recess conforming to the dimensions of the termination bulge and a soft metallic liner for said recess, said liner being indented by the outer strand of the cable at the point of the termination bulge during the clamping of the split tow ball. 